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, ness and solidity.

UNITED STATES FrIGn.

THOMAS Ii. REED AND EUGENE F. PHILLIPS, OF PROVIDENCE, R. I.

IMPROVEMENT IN INSULATING AND FINISHING COMPOUNDS FOR CONDUCTING-WIRESSpecification forming partof Letters Patent No. 144,794, dated November18, 1873; application filed October 29, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS L. REED and EUGENE F. PHILLIPs of the cityand county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Telegraphic Office-VVire, and a(Dempound for Treating the same.

or solutions, which has been properly dried,

and is ready for receiving our finishing process, by one of the methodswhich in practice we have adopted.

A braiding-machine of ordinary construction is provided with yarn ortwine which has been previously charged with the hot compound hereafterdescribed, and the braiding process is completed as heretoforeconducted.

The compound which we have found best suited to the purpose is composedof, say, two parts Canada balsam; one part solid paraffine of commerce;one part bees-wax of standard quality. This compound is well mixed andapplied to the yarn while hot.

The Ganadabalsam possesses no verymarked desirable characteristics overseveral of the more common pine gums and resins 5 and we are aware thatapproximate results will be atstead of the balsam in the samecombination. The bees-wax may be crude or clarified; the purer it is,however, the better it is suited for the purpose, on account of itsincreased hard- We are aware that the proportions named can be varied,and approximate results attained.

As it is sometimes desirable to have variously-colored wires for theordinary purposes of distinction where many are used, and also i torender them more attractive to the eye when used in hotels, brokersoflices, merchants prithe depth and shade of color desired.

vate offices, 8x0, we add to the said compound coloring matter insuitable quantities to afford As instances, white lead may be employedto bring the compound up to as near white as may be desired such acompound can be toned by the addition of red lead, ocher, chrome,Chinese or Prussian blue, to produce any desired color, or shade of anycolor.

After the braiding has been completed, the surface of the fabric issubjected to the action of slickers, or smoothing-tools having a propersurface, and as it cools a gentle friction develops a continuouslustrous coating on the surface of the fabric, composed of the compoundwhich exudes from the interstices of the yarn. While still soft, andduring the slicking process, bronzing-powder may be applied in a mannerwell known, and thus impart to the exterior of the compound conductorthe appearance of a massive metallic wire.

Another style of wire or conductor may be 5 made by incasin g themetallic wire within numerous longitudinal strands or threads, which arefirmly united to each other and to the wire by a thread laid or woundspirally 011 the outside and tightly sewed. The longitudinal strands maybe applied with the compound already charged, or the compound maybesubsequently applied. If charged with the compound before being laid, asuffieient quantity of it will be left upon the surface, or exude fromthe interstices, to afford the desirable exterior coating. After havingbeen covered with the textile matter, the compound may be applied bydrawing the covered wire, through the melted mixture, and thence througha clearin plate having a funnel shaped aperture of proper diameter. tactwith any smooth hard substance can be applied by many well-knownmechanical devices adapted to similar service.

The combination of flocks or other disintegrated fibrous matter with acompound substantially of the character referred to can be employed withsatisfactory results as an exterior coating, for it will, with gentlefriction,

develop a fine superficial finish, and possess a desirable degree ofhardness and tenacity. The method of applying the compound, or itsequivalent, can be extensively varied, without Desirable friction fromconmaterially affecting the result. It will only be necessary that aproper unity exists between the fabric or textile matter and thecompound, and that a sufficient quantity of the latter re mainsthereon-to completely constitute an exterior covering. A perfectinsulation can be effected by the use of the compound, when an exteriorfinish is not desirable, applied after the manner of any of thewell-known gums or mixtures.

We are aware that telegraphic wires and cables have heretofore been madewith an inclosing fabric of braid or wound threads and yarns in greatvariety; that such yarns, not only prior but subsequent to the braidingor winding processes, have been treated or charged with solutions ofparaffine and other soluble insulating matter; also, that cables andwires for telegraphic purposes havebeen superficially coated with gumsand gummy compounds whichlbelong to the class generally known asvulcanizable. When applied in mass, such cables and wires have sometimesbeen vulcanized when applied in solution, they have been generallysimply dried, after the evaporation of the volatile solvents.

By combining with the paraffine the resinous gums and wax, substantiallyas set forth, the compound is rendered much tougher and harder thaneither the pai'affine or wax would otherwise be, and it remainsunchanged at a higher degree of temperature than either the paraffine orwax could resist if the heat were applied thereto separately. The wirewhich is dressed with paraffiue alone is of a greasy dull aspect,

and the paraffine is liable to crackle or rub oil on being touched, andto catch and retain dust and dirt. On the other hand, if soluble gums,850., be applied in solution, they are liable to be unevenlydistributed, and, while drying, accumulate more in some places than inothers. This latter is especially the case, and incident to the use ofthe non-volatile solvents, and the gums which they will hold insolution. Should volatile solvents be employed, the drying is morerapid, but the coating is not so flexible, and is the more liable tocrack and scale. These peculiarities render wire treated with our novelcompound readily distinguishable from wires prepared as heretofore.

We are not aware that prior to our invention any telegraph office-wireor other tele= graphic conductors were ever finished with an exteriorsurface possessing the several C0111- bined characteristics of wires orconductors treated with a compound of the character herein described;and

We therefore claim as new, to be secured to us by Letters Patent- Thecompound composed of Canada balsam, or equivalent gum, paraffine, andbees-wax, with or without coloring pigment, for insulating, and forgiving to telegraphic conductingwires a finished exterior, substantiallyas .de-

THOMAS L. BEE-D. EUGENE F. PHILLIP-S.

scribed.

Witnesses:

CHARLES SELDEN, J GEN O. PURKIS.

